Holders Chelsea face trip to Southampton

Rafael Benitez’s Chelsea will begin their FA Cup defence with a tough-looking all-Premier League tie at Southampton.

Perhaps the most attractive third-round tie, though, sends Manchester United to West Ham. Alex Ferguson’s 11-time winners beat the Hammers 1-0 in the league last week, but the two have enjoyed some memorable cup battles over the years, including when Paolo Di Canio scored the only goal of a surprise 1-0 West Ham win in 2001.

Premier League champions Manchester City host Gianfranco Zola’s Watford, while Arsenal, whose last trophy was the 2005 FA Cup, must head to Swansea, the side who sent them off their own field to a chorus of boos with a 2-0 win on Saturday.

There is a tie for the nostalgics at White Hart Lane where Tottenham have been paired with Coventry, evoking memories of City’s famous 3-2 final win over Spurs in 1987, while two non-league sides Lincoln and Mansfield must fight it out for the right to host Liverpool.

Everton also face would-be giant-killers in the form of Cheltenham or Hereford while struggling QPR lock horns with West Brom.

Third round draw

Crystal Palace v Stoke; Brighton v Newcastle; Tottenham v Coventry; Wigan v Bournemouth; Fulham v Blackpool; Aston Villa v Ipswich; Charlton v Huddersfield; Barrow/Macclesfield v Cardiff; Barnsley v Burnley; Manchester City v Watford; Swansea v Arsenal; Leicester v Burton; Millwall v Preston; Cheltenham/Hereford v Everton; Derby v Tranmere; Crawley v Reading; Aldershot v Rotherham/Notts County; Middlesbrough v Harrogate/Hastings; Accrington/Oxford v Sheffield Utd; Southampton v Chelsea; QPR v West Brom; Peterborough v Norwich; Lincoln/Mansfield v Liverpool; Bolton v Sunderland; Nottingham Forest v Oldham; West Ham v Manchester Utd; Hull v Alfreton/Leyton Orient; Blackburn v Bristol City; Leeds Utd v Birmingham; Bury/Southend v Bradford/Brentford; Luton v Wolves; Sheffield Wed v MK Dons.

Ties to be played the weekend of January 5th and 6th.